Summary Of Winterdance The Fine Madness Of Running The Iditarod

Gary Paulsen is the author on many fictional stories such as “Hatchet” or “Brian’s Winter”. However, “Winterdance The Fine Madness Of Running The Iditarod” is Paulsen’s own story about when he entered the 1,180 mile Alaskan sled dog race called the Iditarod. Gary Paulsen’s book is the true story of when Paulsen rode in the Iditarod for the first time. Paulsen often rode with his dogs before, but he had no experience racing them. When he had just entered the Iditarod, he had no idea what he was in for. Paulson explains how he was definitely not ready for what laid ahead, “I had at most run a dog team 150 or so miles over a four-day period, wandering happily, slowly, stopping to camp. I knew nothing of Alaska, crossing mountain ranges, running …show more content…
One night, before the race, Paulsen decided to sleep with his dogs in their kennel. There, Paulson made a huge discovery that would impact the outcome of the race. He described this breakthrough in the book, “What I needed to learn only the dogs could teach me, and I'm not sure if it was then or later in the night when I awakened once to see them all still sitting, staring at me, that I decided what I had to do. I had to sleep in the kennel. I had to be with the dogs all the time, learn from them all the time, know them all the time. More than sleep, I had to live in the kennel. I had to in some way become a dog” (Paulsen 91). Paulson found if he could understand how his dogs lived, he could have a better chance of making it through the Iditarod. The dogs would have to feel comfortable with Paulsen and trust him if they were to work with him. This is the same with many other successful teams. I learned, from the passage, it is better to work with someone you know and trust than to work with a stranger because you can truly understand them …show more content…
It is an autobiography of a very important portion of Paulsen's life.
I have only heard what it must be like to run the Iditarod and I do not clearly understand Paulsen's fascination with the race. I have never been riding with sled dogs before although ,after reading this book, I would like to. I can only somewhat relate to the relationship Paulsen has with his dogs. I have pets of my own that I care for as well. Although I don't depend on them for survival, I cannot imagine living without them. Paulsen cares a lot about his dogs and I do toward my pets also.
Does Paulsen even get to ride with his dogs after he is diagnosed with coronary heart